


Running Through the Streets

by happinesssdeceit (crescenttwins)



Series: Last Words Soulmate AU [4]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Drabble, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Canon, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 00:50:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3790441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescenttwins/pseuds/happinesssdeceit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-series fluff, Hide and Kaneki hanging out after school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Running Through the Streets

**Author's Note:**

> For the Anon prompt: "something happy in the soulmate AU plz". This ended up being a bit generic, so forgive me, Anon! OTL
> 
> The title is from a quote by حافظ, "Ever since happiness heard your name, it has been running through the streets trying to find you."

There are some days where Kaneki feels very far away, and these are the days that Hide suspects he could float away, drift into a raincloud and become someone’s newest horror story.  It’s terrifying to think, because Kaneki lives half-buried in books, and Hide can see the title of the article now:

_Horror Comes to Life: Teenager Suffocates in Dark Novels_

He snorts, because Kaneki would pass over a title like that in a heartbeat.  He taps Kaneki’s shoulder— his left one, Kaneki gets a bit twitchy if you touch his right shoulder on days like these.  

“Yo, Kaneki,” Hide says, shaking his friend a bit.  Kaneki blinks very slowly, pulling himself out of the sludge of his mind. Hide doesn’t mind— it’s a bit like waiting for something to finish heating up in the convenience store microwave.  Even as he walks and walks, he’s not really there; almost solely dependent on his subconscious and Hide’s guidance to make it through the streets.

“Hide,” Kaneki responds, finally, shaking his head a bit. “Sorry, what were you saying?”

“Do you have some free time now?” Hide asks. Vacation is starting, school is closed and the non-sports clubs are do~ne for a few days.  It’s just his part time work and play, this vacation, and Hide is looking forward to all the extra free time. Maybe, he thinks mischievously, this will be the time he meets his soulmate. He skips a little, then slows down to let Kaneki catch up.

“Hm,” Kaneki wonders, “I was going to stop by the bookstore.” A small smile curls his lip, teasing. “Do you want to join me?”

Hide fakes a shudder. “Back into the realm of the incomprehensible, huh?”  He eyes Kaneki’s bag. “You’ve already finished the one you picked up last week?” It had been a thick one about genetically engineering soulmates (if such a thing was possible), with a title in English, and so expensive that Hide’s poor part-timer wallet had ached when he glimpsed the receipt. But despite being a fast reader, Kaneki usually liked to savor his books, so it’s more than a little surprising that he’s going back for another book so soon.  

“Yeah,” his friend says, digging into his backpack, “want to read it?” He holds a book out to Hide.

Sticking his tongue out, Hide rejects, “No, no, I’m good.” Then he takes a better look at the colorful cover, slips it from Kaneki’s hand, and grins.  “What’s _this_?” Takes in the bright colors, text exploding over a man with his first raised. He waves the monthly serial at Kaneki.  “Since when do you buy manga, Kaneki?”

Kaneki smiles, shrugs. “It was on sale when I was there last, and you didn’t have it on your shelf.”

“Yeah, I leant this one to Mikihara last month and the guy spilled ramen all over it.” Hide thumbs the cover, humming. “I hadn’t finished it yet.”

“You lend your stuff out too easily,” Kaneki comments, closing up his backpack. 

“I get it back.”

Kaneki eyes him, face so incredulous that Hide pokes him in the cheek just to see him squirm.

“It’s true!” Hide says. “Most people give me back my stuff even when I tell them that it’s heavy.” He slouches a bit, wiggles his arms for effect. “My poor noodle arms can’t take it, Kaneki!”  He nudges his friend. “Save me with the arms you’ve trained with all those heavy, depressing books!” 

Kaneki snorts a giggle, and pushes away Hide’s still-wiggling arms. “Yeah, yeah.”

“I can pay you back for it,” Hide offers, “after I get my paycheck at the end of the week.” The financials will work out, Hide thinks.  If he skips lunch a couple times this week he’ll be able to buy this month’s volume as well, and then he’ll be all caught up and free to roam the internet without fear of spoilers.

“You can just keep it,” Kaneki says. “It’s not like I would read it anyways.”  

“Kaneki,” Hide clutches the volume to his chest, “I wouldn’t _rob_ you of your book money. I know you better than that.”  He laughs. “It’s not a big deal, I’ll pay you back, okay?”  

Kaneki goes quiet, and Hide lets it go for minute before sighing.

“You see, Kaneki,” he says, his voice serious, “I have a problem that prevents me from accepting free things.” Kaneki startles, then starts to smile, so Hide continues, “Those free tissues at the station? The free samples outside the WacDonalds? The pamphlets for counseling? They all cause me _incredible_ guilt, Kaneki, so _please_ let me pay you back for this.”

“Okay,” Kaneki says, smiling.  _Good_ , Hide thinks victoriously, because Kaneki seems a little better now. Glancing up to confirm their location, Hide stops walking.

Kaneki takes a few more steps, then turns to Hide, confused.

In response, Hide gestures to the bookstore.  “You wanted to go in, right?” He leans against the side of the building, opening up the manga volume.  “I’ll just wait for you to finish.” He doesn’t actually start reading until he hears the bookstore doors open, and even then he dips his head a little to hide his smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and for your kudos and comments!


End file.
